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Thursday, January 3, 2013

Field Trials or Bird Hunting......or both?

Bo, Field Trial and Hunting Champion

Judges ready for the trial.

Hunting Woodcock

I do both, but, at times, it's a real pain. After hunting Montana and Idaho for 2 weeks, I will come home and turn the dogs loose in a field trail. It's hard on them to go from being semi-independent and using their heads to produce game, to staying in bounds, listening to the whistle and surrendering a lot of the independence. The birds smell different, the setting is different, they are leashed a lot more and expected to be 100% perfect immediately off the line. Yep, it's tough. However, the good ones make the transition quickly and easily. With a little preventative training, you can make it work, if that is your cup of tea. Many guys figure, "Heck, I'll just hunt my dog and not fool with all that." or "I'll just field trial every weekend, where I know the terrain and game. It's much safer and predictable!" I prefer to do both, but it's not without it's hazards.

Typically, the hunting dog will come back in to the trial grounds "loose", meaning he's not as staunch and may even move on birds after the point. Or they may not pay a whole lot of attention to the whistle, or they may run by birds you know they should have smelled. Usually, all these problems can be addressed before they ever leave the hunting area. I will ensure my dogs continue to back the other dog on point, no matter the terrain, etc. I will insist they turn when I whistle, and retrieve all the way to hand. I insist they are staunch on point and do not let them, ever, chase birds. In other words, I hunt them like I train them! That will keep the small adjustment problems from growing in to huge problems in the field trial. Notice, I've not addressed any problems going the other direction, from FT to Hunting? That's because the problems are usually small and self-correcting. For example, most FT dogs won't get out and range 400-600 yds ahead- more than that if game is scarce. But that is what you want them to do to locate the birds. After an hour of hunting, you will see them start to head out more and more, until they are making long casts, just like the big boys.

Yep, it's tough to do both. But, the rewards are great and field trials do extend the hunting season, which was the original intent...

Bird Dogs and Bird Hunting

After more than 20 years of bird dogs and bird hunting, I was able to free myself of the day to day "making a living" that is the curse of all those men and women to whom bird dogs and bird hunting is a way of life. Traveling around the country, from September to March, I indulge my passion for bird dogs and bird hunting with my Brittany bird dogs. Recently, I added to the pack by keeping 2 pups from the last litter of 11 that Ace and Ruby had. While having 4 dogs and traveling the country can be problematic, I've noticed I don't need to worry as much about "running out of dogs" before the trip is complete. With a little prevention, care and planning, I can rest dogs 1 day in 3 and still have 2 on the ground in the morning and 2 more in the afternoon. In the event a dog is laid up (cut pad, intestinal distress) another dog can step up. Bird dogs and bird hunting will make you a tremendous manpower (dog power) planner!

Another beneficial side effect is the planning of actual trips and times of the year. As an example, September is my traditional Montana Sharptail and Hungarian Partridge month. Great birds for the pups, they hold tight and live in easy country, It's a good way to get the dogs back in to "hunting" mode. October is Pheasant and Ruffed Grouse month. Usually the Dakotas and either Wisconsin or Minnesota will get a visit from the Brittany pack. In November, my bird dogs and bird hunting show will visit quail states like Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas and Arizona. December will be the Mearns Quail deployment to mountains of Southern Arizona followed by Gambles Quail in Arizona and Blue Quail in New Mexico. January is a toss up and for the last several years has been Nebraska for pheasant, Oklahoma for Bob Whites, Arizona for Gambels and New Mexico for Blues (again). However, I've been known to head to Idaho for Valley Quail and Chukar.

In February, in order to instill some discipline and keep the boys and girls in top form, I start hitting the NSTRA Field Trials real hard, with an eye to the National Trials in February, April and May.

While I know this schedule with my bird dogs and bird hunting looks to be excessive, I look at it like a cup of water with small leak. I'm not getting any younger and the water in the cup is the time I have left. Thank God, I'm in excellent health (no thanks to my younger years) and still have the drive to chase the Chukar and Huns, but time will advance none-the-less and before too long, I will be remembering and wishing instead loading up the Beast of Birdin' with dog boxes and shotgun shells.

This BLOG is a way for me to document my fun with bird dogs and bird hunting. I can also look at products and test them on the road, under actual hunting conditions. I enjoy doing that and I've found some real gems in equipment and techniques.